Tobacco processing machine



April 12, 1966 H. KOCH ETAL TOBACCO PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1963 Jnvenfar s Fig 7 a N b M: 5 mM 9%? WDM G a 0 2 United States Patent 3,245,415 TOBACCO PROCESSING MACHINE Hans Koch, Hamburg-Rahlstedt, and Heinz Georg Harte,

Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assignors to Hanni- Werke Kiirber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Ger- 13 Claims. 61. 131-146) This is a continuation-in-part of our application Serial No. 159,693, filed December 15, 1961.

- The present invention relates ,to tobacco processing machines in general, and more particularly to a machine which strips or disintegrates whole tobacco leaves to form a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles and which thereupon separates lighter particles from the heavier. particles. 7

It is an important object of our invention to provide a machine wherein tobacco leaves and particles of stripped tobacco leaves are conveyed through the stripping mechanism in such a way that any piling up of tobacco particles and resultant blocking of the stripping mechanism is avoided in a very simple and eflicient manner.

It is another object of our invention to provide an improved stripping apparatus for use in a machine of the above outlined characteristics.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel pneumatic control system which may be used in connection with the improved stripping apparatus to prevent accumulation of lighter and/or heavier tobacco particles at or past the stripping station. An additional object of the invention is to construct the tobacco processing machine in such a way that a single suction generating device suffices to produce air currents which will be capable of conveying the mixture and of causing separation of lighter particles from the heavier particles.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a combined stripping and separating machine wherein the operation of the stripping apparatus cannot influencethe operation of the separator. I

With the above objects in view, one feature of the in- .Vention resides in the provision of a machine for stripping whole tobacco leaves and for separating lighter particles from heavier particles of the resulting stripped tobacco leaf material. The machine comprises a stripping apparatus and a pneumatic separator wherein the lighter particles are separated from the heavier particles. The stripping apparatus comprises. a casing with an inlet at its upper end and an outlet at its lower end, a screen located in the casing between the inlet and the outlet and provided with openings which are large enough to permit passage of stripped leaf material, and a stripping device which is mounted in the casing intermediate the screen and the inlet and which may assume the form of a revolving drum whose arms cooperate with the screen to comminute the leaves and to transform such leaves into a mixture of heavier and lighter particles. The outlet of the casing is connected with the intake end of the pneumatic separator and the discharge end of this separator is connected with a suction generating device so that the latter produces an air stream which enters through the inlet of the casing and which thereupon passes through the screen to entrain the tobacco particles toward and through the outlet and into the housing of the separator wherein the lighter particles are separated from the heavier particles.

In accordance with an important feature of our invention, the machine is provided with one or more air-admitting apertures and/ or ports which enable the suction generating device to form one or more additional air streams lCe flowing into the machine at points located between the screen and the discharge end of the pneumatic separator so as to accelerate the mixture of lighter and heavier particles and to assist the previously mentioned air stream in advancing the mixture into and in advancing the lighter particles of the mixture through the housing of the sep mater. The arrangement is preferably such that the leaves and the mixture will travel downwardly while passing through the stripping apparatus and that the lighter particles travel in an upwardly inclined path while advancing through the chamber of the separator.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved tobacco processing machine itself, however, both as to itsconstruction and its method of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following detailed description of certain specific embodi- 'ments with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a tobacco processing machine which embodies our invention, certain parts of the machine being shown in vertical section; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a stripping apparatus which forms part of the tobacco processing machine, further showing a feeding device which delivers whole tobacco leaves into the inlet of the stripping apparatus and also showing a horizontal duct which conveys stripped leaf material into the separator chamber of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, there is shown a tobacco processing machine which is utilized for stripping whole tobacco leaves L and for thereupon separating the lightweight portions P (i.e., the leaves proper) from the heavier ribs R. The machine comprises two main components, namely, astripping apparatus 1 and a pneumatic separator 2. The stripping apparatus includes an upright casing having an upper portion 3 and a lower portion or hopper 8, an inlet 7 which is arranged to admit tobacco leaves L into the upper portion 3, an outlet 8b which is located at the lower end of the hopper 8,a rotary stripping devicein the form of a drum 4a whose arms 4 serve to comminute the leaves L while travelling along the inner side of a stationary basketlike screen 5 which is mounted in the upper portion 3 in such a way as to form a barrierbetween the inlet 7 and the outlet 8b. This screen 5 is provided with'openings 5a which are large enough to permit passage of stripped leaf material. The upper end portion of the inlet 7 as sumes the form of a funnel 27 which may rewive tobacco leaves L from the discharge end of a feeding device here shown as a trough having a bottom wall in the form of an endless travelling belt =26 which discharges the leaves into the funnel 27 so that the leaves drop into the range of the revolving arms 4 and are comminuted or disintegrated in a fully automatic way. The conveyor belt 26 is shown in F1612, and this illustration further shows an electric motor 28 which serves to drive the stripping device 4a. V v

The casing of the stripping apparatus 1 is mounted in a frame which includes a series of upright legs 6, and thehopper 8 of this casing is accommodated between the legs 6 so that its outlet 8b is located at a level well below the inlet 7, i.e., the leaves L and the stripped leaf material will move downwardly while advancing toward the outlet 8!) and into the intake end of a horizontal duct'9 which connects the'hopper 8 with the lower end portion of an upwardly inclined separator chamber 19. This duct 9 is provided with an air-admitting port'9a which is screened by a filter to prevent entry of dust and other impurities. An inclined baffle. 10 is adjustably secured to the hopper 8 by means of one or more screws 10a and serves to deflect stripped leaf material in a direction to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, so that the material advances toward the chamber 19. Furthermore, the bafile 10 serves to regulate the quantity of air which may be admitted through the port 9a, i.e., by moving the lower edge portion of the bafile nearer to the bottom wall of the duct 9, the operator may reduce the quantity of air which will enter the duct through the port 9a.

The hopper 8 comprises two parallel vertical walls and two downwardly and inwardly inclined walls. The parallel walls are provided with air-admitting apertures 8a (only one shown) each of which accommodates a filter to prevent entry of impurities into stripped leaf material which advances toward the outlet 8b. Adjustable baffles 80 (one shown in FIG. 2) serve to regulate the quantity of air which may enter through the apertures. 8a.

The separator 2 comprises a base frame 12 which supports an upwardly extending elongated separator housing 13 having at its lower end, a duct 11 which communicates with the discharge end of the duct 9. The housing 13 also comprises a rib discharging duct 14 which accommodates an air lock here shown as a cell-wheel extractor 15 driven by anelectr-ic motor 16. The lower end portion 17 of theduct 14 extends through a horizontal top plate 18 of the frame 12 to discharge. the ribs into a funnel 21 so that the ribs descend into a pneumatic conveyor pipe 22. The duct 11 also extends through the top plate 18 and directs the mixture of leaves and ribs into the separator chamber 19 which is. inclined with reference to a vertical plane so that the ribs R may descend by gravity toward and into the duct 14.

At its upper end, the chamber 19 communicates with a pipe 20 which is, connected to a fan or to another suitable suction generating device 20a serving to draw the.

lighter fraction of stripped leaf material into the pipe 20 and to produce a series of air streams including a first air stream which enters through the inlet 7 (arrows 23, 24), a second air stream (arrow 25) which enters through the one and/or other air-admitting aperture 8a, and a third air stream (arrow which enters through the port 9a. These air streams merge to form a single air stream 31 which flows through the ducts 9, 11 and into the separator chamber 19. The housing 13 is. equipped with suitable valves 32, 33 which may admit false air into selected zones of the chamber 19 so as to. regulate the speed of the single air stream 31 in such a way that the lighter particles P are entrained toward and into the pipe 20 but that the heavier particles (mainly ribs R and some leaves P which are entrapped by the ribs) will descend by gravity to leave the air stream 31 and to. pass into thelduct 14.

The machine of FIG. 1 operates as follows:

The, conveyor belt 26- admits tobacco leaves L at a predetermined rate whereby the leaves descend through the funnel 27 of the inlet 7 to move into the range of revolving arms 4 which cooperate with the screen 5 and strip the leavesto form a mass of stripped leaf material which is a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles. The admission of leaves L into the upper portion 3 of the stripping apparatus 1 is assisted by the air stream which is produced by the suction generating device 20a and which enters the casing through the inlet 7 (arrow 23) to flowthrough the openings 5a (arrow 24) and to thus entrain the particles of stripped tobacco leaf material into the hopper 8 and into and through the outlet 8b. The second stream of air which is drawn through the one and/ or the other air-admitting aperture 8a (arrow 25) accelerates the mixture so that such mixture cannot accumulate in the hopper 8 but is compelled to enter the intake end of the duct 9 wherein it is accelerated still further by the third air stream (arrow 30) which enters through the port 9a. The rather strong air stream which enters through the aperture or apertures 8a will assist the first air stream in drawing the particles of stripped leaf material through the openings 5a and into the hopper 8 to prevent clogging of the stripping apparatus. Thus, the action of the air stream which enters through the aperture or apertures 8a is felt not only in but also upstream of the hopper 3.

The stripped leaf material then passes through the ducts 9, 11 and enters the separator chamber 19 wherein the lighter particles P are separated from the heavier particles R and advance toward and into the pipe 20 to be removed from the separator 2. The heavier particles descend into the duct 14 and are evacuated through the cell-wheel extractor 15 to enter the pipe 22.

It was found that the machine of this invention will operate very satisfactorily if the quantity of air entering;

through the inlet 7 or through the :port 9a is less than the quantity of air which is admitted through the aperture or apertures 8a and if the quantity of air entering through the inlet 7 isless than the quantity of air entering, through the port 9a. Thus the. effective opening of. the apertures 8a or of the port 9a is greater than they elfective opening ofthe inlet 7 and screen. 5 combined when the inlet and screen are free of tobacco leaf material. Also, it goes without saying that the composite duct including the ducts 9, 11 and the housing 13 may be provided with one or more additional air-admitting ports, depending on the desired speed of the single air stream 31- which conveys stripped leaf material toward and through the separator chamber 19. The exact manner in which the lighter tobacco particles P are separated from the ribs R while passing through the chamber 19 by itself forms no part of this invention. All that counts is to provide the machine with a suction generating device which causes an air stream to flow through the stripping apparatus and to assist the force of gravity in advancing the mixture of lighter and heavier particles toward the pneumatic separator. The additional air streams may be regulated with great precision so that the speed of the single air stream 31 flowing into the chamber 19 will be sufiicient to advance the. lighter particles into the pipe 20 but that this single air stream'will be too weak to. entrain the ribs and other heavier par ticles.

The air stream which enters the upper portion 3 of the casing should not be too strong because the quantity of air entering through the inlet 7 depends to a considerable extent on the conditions prevailing in the stripping zone. Thus, and if the feed of leaves L is irregular and/or if the mass of stripped tobacco leaf material offers a variable resistance to the flow of air through the screen 5, the single air stream passing through the ducts 9, 11 would fluctuate and would affect the separating action in the chamber 19. On the other hand, and ifthe major mass of the separating air stream is admitted at one or more points past the screen 5, fluctuations in the strength of the air stream passing through the chamber 19 are less pronounced and the separating action which takes place in the chamber 19 is more uniform. Thus, while the apparatus of the present invention will enable suction to cause entry of tobacco leaves into the stripping zone and to cause the mixture of lighter and heavier particles to pass through the screen 5, this will not affect the separating operation to such an extent as if all of the air which is utilized for separation of lighter and heavier particles were admitted exclusively through the inlet 7.

Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features which fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for stripping tobacco leaves and for separating lighter particles from heavier particles of stripped tobacco leaf material, in combination, a stripping apparatus comprising a casing including a first portion having an inlet and a second portion having an outlet, a screen located between said first and second portions of said casing and arranged to form a barrier between said inlet and said outlet, said screen having openings large enough to permit passage of stripped tobacco leaf material, and a stripping device provided in the first portion of said casing intermediate said inlet and said screen, the second portion of said casing having an air-admitting aperture adjacent to said screen; feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco leaves through said inlet and into the range of said stripping device; suction generating means connected with said outlet to withdraw from said casing leaf material which is :stripped by said stripping device and which thereupon passes through saidscreen in a first air stream produced by said suction generating means and flowing from the inlet to ,the outlet of said casing, said suction generating means also producing a second air stream which enters the casing through said aperture and flows toward and through the outlet to accelerate the leaf material in the second portion of said casing, the effective opening of said aperture being greater than the effective opening of the inlet and screen'combined when the inlet and screen are free of said tobacco leaf material, and a housing defining an upwardly extending separator chember having a lower end portion communicating with said outlet and an upper discharge end portion including said suction generating means, said air streams being in merged condition in said separator chamber and adapted to carry lighter particles of stripped leaf material toward said discharge end portion and adapted to permit heavier particles of stripped leaf material to descend by gravity to be withdrawn from said separator chamber.

2. In a machine for stripping tobacco leaves and for separating lighter particles from heavier particles of stripped tobacco leaf material, in combination, a stripping apparatus comprising a casing including a first portion having an inlet and a second portion having an air-admitting aperture and an outlet, a screen located between said first and second portions of said casing to form a barrier between said inlet and said outlet, said screen being adjacent to said aperture and having openings large enough to permit passage of stripped tobacco leaf material, and a stripping device provided in the first portion of said casing intermediate said inlet and said screen; feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco leaves through said inlet and into the range of said stripping device whereby the stripping device transforms the leaves into stripped tobacco leaf material which contains a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles; a duct having an intake end connected with said outlet, a discharge end, and an airadmitting port; suction generating means connected with the discharge end of said duct to withdraw from said casing leaf material which is stripped by said stripping device and which thereupon passes through said screen and into said duct in a first air stream produced by said suction generating means and flowing from the inlet to the outlet of said casing, said suction generating means also producing a second air stream which enters the casing through the aperture of said second portion to flow toward and through the outlet so as to accelerate the leaf material in the second portion of said casing, and a third air stream which enters the duct through said port and flows toward said discharge end to accelerate the leaf material in said duct, the effective opening of said aperture being greater than the effective opening of the inlet and screen combined when the inlet and screen are free of said tobacco leaf material, and a housing defining an upwardly extending separator chamber having a lower end portion communicating with said outlet and an upper discharge end portion including said suction generating means, said air streams being in merged condition in said separator chamber and adapated to carry lighter particles of stripped leaf material toward said discharge end portion and adapted to permit heavier particles of stripped leaf material to descend by gravity to be withdrawn from said separator chamber.

3. In a machine for stripping tobacco leaves and for separating lighter particles from heavier particles. of stripped tobacco leaf material, in combination, a stripping apparatus comprising a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a screen located in said casing between said inlet and said outlet and having openings large enough to permit passage of stripped tobacco leaf material, and a stripping device provided in said casing intermediate said inlet and said screen; feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco leaves through said inlet and into the range of said stripping device; a composite duct comprising a portion having an intake end connected with said outlet, a discharge end distant from said intake end, and an air-admitting port adjacent to said outlet; suction generating means connected with said discharge end to withdraw from said casing leaf material which is stripped by said stripping device and which thereupon passes through said screen in a first air stream produced by said suction generating means and flowing from said inlet to said outlet to entrain the leaf material into said duct, said suction generating means also producing a second air stream which enter through said port and flows toward said discharge end to accelerate the leaf material in said duct and to merge with said first air stream whereby said air streams form a single air stream,

the effective opening of said port being greater than the effective opening of the inlet and screen combined when the inlet and screen are free of said tobacco leaf material, and a housing defining an upwardly extending separator chamber having a lower end portion communicating with said outlet and an upper discharge end portion including said suction generating means, saidair streams being in merged condition in said separator chamber and adapted to carry lighter particles of stripped leaf material toward said discharge end portion and adapted to permit-heavier particles of stripped leaf material to descend by gravity to be withdrawn from said separator chamber.

4. A combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said housing comprises means for regulating the velocity of the single air stream.

5. A combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said duct portion is substantially horizontal and wherein said port is provided in said horizontal portion.

6. A combination as set forth in claim 3, wherein said casing is provided with an air-admitting aperture located intermediate said screen and said outlet and adjacent to said screen so that said suction generating means produces a third air stream which enters through said aperture and merges with said first stream and accelerates the leaf material in said first stream.

7. In a machine for stripping tobacco leaves and for separating lighter particles from heavier particles of stripped tobacco material, in combination, a stripping apparatus comprising a casing having a first portion provided with an inlet and a second portion provided with an outlet and with an air-admitting aperture, a screen mounted between said first and second portions to form a barrier between said inlet and said outlet, said screen having openings large enough to permit passage of stripped leaf material, and a stripping device provided in said first portion intermediate said screen and said inlet; feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco leaves through said inlet and into the range of said stripping device whereby the stripping device transforms the leaves into stripped leaf material containing a mixture of lighter and heavier particles; a housing defining an inclined separator chamber having a lower end portion communicating with said outlet and an upper end discharge portion; and suction generating means at the upper end discharge portion of said separator chamber to withdraw from said casing stripped leaf material by forming a first air stream which enters through said inlet and flows toward said outlet after passing through said screen, said suction generating means also producing a second air stream which enters through said aperture and accelerates the stripped leaf material while flowing toward said outlet, said separator housing comprising means for regulating the velocity of the air stream therein so that lighter particles of leaf material advance toward the upper end discharge portion and that heavier particles descend by gravity and may be withdrawn from said separator housing, the cross-sectional area of said aperture being greater than the opening of said inlet so that the quantity of air drawn through said aperture exceeds the quantity of air drawn through said inlet.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 7, further comprising means for regulating the quantity of air which may enter said second portion through said air-admitting aperture.

9. A stripping apparatus for transforming tobacco leaves into a mixture of lighter and heavier particles, comprising a casing having a first portion provided with an inlet and a second portion provided with an outlet and having an air-admitting aperture; a screen provided between said first and second portions of the casingto form a barrier between said inlet and said outlet and having openings large enough to permit passage of tobacco particles; a stripping device mounted in said first portion of the casing intermediate said screen and said inlet and arranged to cooperate with said screen so as to strip the leaves and to form a mixture of lighter and heavier tobacco particles; feeding means arranged to deliver tobacco leaves through said inlet and into the range of said stripping device; suction generating means connected with said outlet to withdraw the mixture from said casing by forming a first air stream which enters the casing through said inlet to entrain the mixture through said screen and into the second portion of said casing and by forming a second air stream which enters through said aperture and which accelerates the mixture in the first air stream by merging with said first air stream to form a single air stream which advances the mixture through said outlet, the effective opening of said aperture being greater than the efiective and screen are free of said tobacco leaf material, and a housing defining an upwardly extending separator chamher having a lower end, portion communicating with said outlet and an upper discharge end portion including said suction generating means, said air streams being in merged condition in said separator chamber and adapted to carry lighter particles of stripped leaf material toward said discharge end portion and adapted to permit heavier particles of stripped leaf material to descend by gravity to be withdrawn from said separator chamber.

10. A stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 9, further comprising means for regulating the quantity of air entering'through said aperture.

11. A structure as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a duct disposed between said outlet and said housing and having an air admitting port arranged to admit into said air streams such quantity of air which exceeds the quantity of air admitted through said inlet but is less than the quantity of air admitted through said aperture.

12. A stripping apparatus as set forth in claim 11, further comprising means for regulating the inflow of air through said port.

13. A structure as set forth in claim 7, wherein said first and second air streams merge upstream of said outlet to form a single air stream which conveys stripped leaf material into said separator chamber.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 384,565 6/1888 Drummond 13l146 1,235,868 8/1917 Williams 24l59 X 1,403,489 1/1922 Deubel 131-145 1,864,920 6/1932 Masters 24l5l X 2,291,815 8/1942 Korum 24151 X 2,755,930 7/1956 Eissmann 131146 X FOREIGN PATENTS 69,928 9/ 1949 Denmark. 911,230 5/1954 Germany. 315,180 7/ 1929 Great Britain.

SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR STRIPPING TOBACCO LEAVES AND FOR SEPARATING LIGHTER PARTICLES FROM HEAVIER PARTICLES OF STRIPPED TOBACCO LEAF MATERIAL, IN COMBINATION, A STRIPPING APPARATUS COMPRISING A CASING INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION HAVING AN INLET AND A SECOND PORTION HAVING AN OUTLET, A SCREEN LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND PORTIONS OF SAID CASING AND ARRANGED TO FORM A BARRIER BETWEEN SAID INLET AND SAID OUTLET, SAID SCREEN HAVING OPENINGS LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF STRIPPED TOBACCO LEAF MATERIAL, AND A STRIPPING DEVICE PROVIDED IN THE FIRST PORTION OF SAID CASING INTERMEDIATE SAID INLET AND SAID SCREEN, THE SECOND PORTION OF SAID CASING HAVING AN AIR-ADMITTING APERTURE ADJACENT TO SAID SCREEN; FEEDING MEANS ARRANGED TO DELIVER TOBACCO LEAVES THROUGH SAID INLET AND INTO THE RANGE OF SAID STRIPPING DEVICE; SUCTION GENERATING MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID OUTLET TO WITHDRAW FROM SAID CASING LEAF MATERIAL WHICH IS STRIPPED BY SAID STRIPPING DEVICE AND WHICH THEREUPON PASSES THROUGH SAID SCREEN IN A FIRST AIR STREAM PRODUCED BY SAID SUCTION GENERATING MEANS AND FLOWING THE INLET TO THE OUTLET OF SAID CASING, SAID SUCTION GENERATING MEANS ALSO PRODUCING A SECOND AIR STREAM WHICH ENTERS THE CASING THROUGH SAID APERTURE AND FLOWS TOWARD AND THROUGH THE OUTLET TO ACCELERATE THE LEAF MATERIAL IN THE SECOND PORTION OF SAID CASING, THE EFFECTIVE OPENING OF SAID APERTURE BEING GREATER THAN THE EFFECTIVE OPENING OF THE INLET AND SCREEN COMBINED WHEN THE INLET AND SCREEN ARE FREE OF SAID TOBACCO LEAF MATERIAL, AND A HOUSING DEFINING AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING SEPARATOR CHEMBER HAVING A LOWER END PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH SAID OUTLET AND AN UPPER DISCHARGE END PORTION INCLUDING SAID SUCTION GENERATING MEANS, SAID AIR STREAMS BEING IN MERGED CONDITION IN SAID SEPARATOR CHAMBER AND ADAPTED TO CARRY LIGHTER PARTICLES OF STRIPPED LEAF MATERIAL TOWARD SAID DISCHARGE END PORTION AND ADAPTED TO PERMIT HEAVIER PARTICLES OF STRIPPED LEAF MATERIAL TO DESCEND BY GRAVITY TO BE WITHDRAWN FROM SAID SEPARATOR CHAMBER. 